Dramaturgical Resources: Accidental Death of an Anarchist

Over the course of the season, our Assistant Directors and student Dramaturgs will be compiling dramaturgical resources relating to each production as it develops. Below are some links to websites which relate to the history of the play, the biography of the playwright, and sites that contextualize and, we hope, shed light on the directorial approach to the dramatic material.

We hope you find these resources of interest.

Dario Fo (b. 1926)

The Franca Rame / Dario Fo ArchivesThis site -- unfortunately only in Italian -- contains digital archives of all Dario Fo (and Franca Rame) works, as well as significant information, documents and photos about the Fo/Rame partnership in all its guises.
The bookmark will take you to the part of the site which relates to Accidental Death..., featuring original photos, scripts, etc., but browsing through the entire site is highly recommended.

The Nobel Prize – NobelPrize.org
Dario Fo is a Nobel Prize winner for literature. So what? Go to the Nobel Prize homepage to learn about the award and what it constitutes, and also to look at other previous Nobel Prize winners.

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1997 – NobelPrize.org
This page, which is part of the Nobel Prize website, has links to Dario Fo’s biography and a bibliography of his works. You can also read his Nobel Prize lecture, see his Nobel diploma and prize photo, and find other resources relating to the playwright and his life.

Online News Hour – PBS.org
This is a transcript of a news piece on Dario Fo from October 9, 1997, shortly after he had won his Nobel Prize. The piece discusses, amongst other things, his work’s affect in America and on American theatre.

Satire – Wikipedia.org
This is a web-encyclopedia site that gives a definition and background on the concept of satire. It also includes examples of satire in pop culture and media, as well as a bibliography of famous satirical works.

The Purpose and Method of Satire – Virtualsalt.com
For those interested in a more in-depth discussion of satire, this article is written by experienced educator Robert Harris delves into the uses and goals of satire, citing from famous authors such as Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift as examples.

Anarchist Archives
This page has a wealth of resources for those interested in the history of anarchical movements across the world and the people who have influenced them.

Anarchy Watch – Zmag.org
For those interested in an in-depth explanation of what anarchy is and what its ideals are, or just about anything else relating to anarchism and its movements both in the past and present, visit this web page and sate your intellectual hunger on the feast of links available here.

BBC On This Day – BBC.co.uk
The original Accidental Death of an Anarchist is based on actual events. Go to this page to read an article about the bombings that took place on December 12, 1969 in Milan, Italy which sparked the events from which the play was born.

ICT.org.il
In June 2001, a group of Italian men were convicted for the 1969 Milan bombings that led to the anarchist’s accidental death. This article discusses both the trial and mentions the original proceedings dealt with in the play.